Christian Living

Recently I discussed the concept of sanctification with a friend. He said he was saved but wasn't too sanctified, and didn't seem to understand the importance of it. He mentioned the thief on the cross, who didn't have time to grow in Jesus. 

Jesus saved us, a life-long done deal, but we must grow in the faith.  "being confident of this, that he who began a good workinyou will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6  

Our faith is like a plant. It has to grow in order to stay alive. Good works is evidence that you are saved. God demands obedience to His Word. We are in a process of putting off the old, bad ways and putting on the new, as God is restoring us to be the way He made us.  

God wants us to bear fruit. When we don't: "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." Matthew 7:19     

My friend had a big problem with alcohol. One reason he abused alcohol is that he wanted to escape something horrible that happened in the past that kept haunting him. His girlfriend used to say that he thinks he can find the answer to problems in the bottle.  

He believes he has his alcohol problem under control, but evil has a way of sneaking up on people, and if they don't stay in the Word, they become weak. The tenth step in the 12 Step program, as tailored to Celebrate Recovery, a Biblical based program for bad habits, hurts and hang ups, warns about being smug: 

10 We continue to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. 

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 1 Corinthians 10:12 

We need Biblical counseling, said pastor and founder of the Biblical counseling movement Jay E Adams "Whenever the process of sanctification slows down (or halts) in a Christian’s life, and he is not able to rectify that situation (for whatever reason), he needs the help of other believers who can direct him to God’s answers to his problems and how to bring about a change that honors Him." 

The book of Hebrews warns against falling away. "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand.In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5: 11-14 

Hebrews was written to the Hebrew Christians who were wavering in their faith to encourage them to stay in and grow in the faith. It was written also for Christians today. 

Therefore, leaving the elementary message about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God. Hebrews 6:1